Costume rental shops in Paris start their season before Christmas. For New Year’s Eve, who wants to dress like Austrian Princess Sisi or wear a Scottish kilt?

While no one denies that the Queen Mary 2 rightfully flies the Union Jack, she was built in France and this is where she sails when feeling homesick. As she comes to drop anchor on French shores, proud spectators come out to welcome her ashore.

On the French Riviera when it’s twenty-three degrees Celsius in the middle of November, some of us are tempted to head for the beach and take one final dip.

Nuits Blanches, French ambiance, old movies and nouvel art make Paris by night even more exciting.

Come learn some animal idioms with Manon and Clémentine! They'll show you how cats, dogs, and wolves can help you to improve your everyday French.

Today Manon and Clémentine present a number of "set expressions," or idiomatic phrases. Hopefully you're not feeling "soft in the knee"—there are a lot of useful expressions to learn in this lesson!

Whether you're a scholar, a budding writer, or just a casual beach reader, you'll find a lot to learn in Manon and Clémentine's lesson on book-related vocabulary. Using one of the most renowned works of French literature, In Search of Lost Time, as a guide, our two friends also recite their own poem on the future of the book. Happy reading!

Do you know when to say bonsoir and when to say bonne nuit? Do you know when le matin ends and l'après-midi begins? If not, Lionel will tell you all you need to know about greeting people in French according to the time of day. Keep in mind that France uses the 24 hour clock.

Alessandro braves the men's beauty parlor. In addition to a clean shave, he is having his eyebrows, nose hair, and ear hair trimmed. Ouch! After a painful plucking session, he looks fantastic and somewhat relieved it's over...

Daniel Benchimol takes us to Maisons-Laffitte, a town famous for its horse races and jockey training center, the largest in the Paris region. There are also opportunities to explore archaeological remains that have recently been discovered.

Daniel continues his visit to Maisons-Laffitte, home to many famous actors, authors, politicians, business tycoons, and others. According to Daniel, its villas are among the most beautiful in the Île-de-France region.

In part three of our visit to Maisons-Laffitte, Daniel Benchimol reveals even more interesting facts about this city. The Maisons Castle, which epitomizes seventeenth-century French architecture, has been used for the filming of many famous movies, such as Love and Death, Dangerous Liaisons, Queen Margot, and many more.

Lionel Brigeot takes us to the northeast of France to the town of Verdun, where the famous Battle of Verdun took place during World War I. Follow Lionel up the Victory Steps, commemorating the battle in which more than one hundred sixty-three thousand soldiers lost their lives.

Daniel Benchimol takes us to the Cour de l'Industrie (Industry Courtyard) in Paris. It used to be the site of a wallpaper factory that was destroyed in a fire and more or less abandoned. An artisan association decided to renovate the premises, which now house over forty artists and craftsmen. Be sure to visit the area on your next trip to Paris!

Lionel stays in Verdun for part two of this series. You will see the remains of the famous Battle of Verdun, which took place in 1916 and lasted ten months. The French soldiers were called poilus or "hairy men" because of their unshaven faces. Verdun also has a magnificent cathedral with stained glass windows.